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Top 12 Zines of 2012

In the twelve months of its existence, Zine Project Seattle and its amazing homeless youth interns have churned out twenty seven zines!

It’s been a fruitful year and we wanted to share with you some of our favorites of 2012. These twelve are dense with eye popping imagery and soul stirring words. Happy reading!

Click on each image to check out actual zine pages filled with original writing and artwork from youth on the streets:

A Day in the Shoes of Love, Family and Life by Michelle

A Day in the Shoes of Love, Family and Life, $7.
(Click on image for a sneak peek.)

Complete with lush visuals and poems rushing with emotions and profundity, A Day is a must-read zine on the difficulties of coming of age. The author recounts her experiences with love, family and life with a devastating honesty, an inspiring optimism and a unique symbol set. As the zine’s pages turn, read how this young woman finds perspective on herself, the world and others.

Loved, Lost, Livedby Kristin

Loved, Lost, Lived: Full Color $7
(Click image for a sneak peek)

This Zine is called Loved, Lost and Lived. It goes through a plethora of different emotions of a girl and the life that she has lived so far. From beginning to end there are many issues that are brought up. It shows a struggle to let go, and the release into happiness.

Bitter-Sweet Confusion, By Natalie

Bitter-Sweet by Natalie
Full color $7

This zine is a collection of poems and pieces of original art created by a homeless youth . She interprets her battles, and personal struggles, including her determination to be free and sober. She puts interpretive twists on her travels and experiences. Read more to get the full experience.

Apocalypse Yesterdayby Jan 2012 Interns

Apocalypse Yesterday, $7, full color

Nov 2011-Jan 2012 interns band together in this Zine Project Seattle version of a post apocalyptic world. Apocalypse Yesterday contains imaginative group writings about hypothetical happenings in the wake of chaos, as well as individual perspectives trying to cope with catastrophe. For these young, homeless writers, their apocalypse forms a fitting metaphor for the re-envisioning of citizenship, leadership and group identity in the face of marginalization and disaster. A must read.

Killing Your Dreams by Sam

Killing Your Dreams, $7 Full Color
(Click image for a sneak peek)

In this zine, there are poems, illustrations, watercolor paintings, and a short story, centered around the author’s thoughts, fears, and preoccupations. With spare but tremulous prose, the author communicates a sadness and confusion, all the while coaxing the reader along with unique, art-mag quality layouts.

Dirty, Ratty Converse, by Jack

Dirty Ratty Converse: $7, full color

With titles like “F*** You June Cleever”, “I am the Monster in the Mirror”, and “God the Devil and Me”, this collection of original poetry and artwork represents an authentic, cynical, insightful and hilarious chronicle of identity, and womanhood.

Unhinged by Justin

Unhinged, $3

Unhinged is a Zine about addiction, hope, cynicism, and the struggle for a junkie to learn what it means to become a man. Harrowing, honest, and unapologetic, this writer invites you on a journey, written in a minimalist “to the point” style, into the psyche of a troubled yet hopeful young man. What is optimism and where does the healing begin? Find out in Unhinged!

Jan-March 2012 Ziners observe, satirize, and reflect upon major elements in American pop culture. Topics include cell phones, teen pregnancy, entertainment, advertizing, etc..Through original artwork poetry, prose and artwork, these youth authors move from passive receivers of pop messaging to perceptive critics, ultimately attempting to reclaim the culture. Read it to see if they succeed.

The Forest in my Brainby anonymous

The Forest in my Brain by anonymous

The forest in my brain is collection of struggles and accomplishments in the form poetry and art work. In this zine the author deals with issues of gender identity and belonging. Enjoy your time in the forest!

The Book of Life, From a Homeless Seattle Youth by Josh

The Book of Life, from a Homeless Seattle Youth by Josh

In The Book of Life, From a Homeless Seattle Youth, the author expresses his love and hatred for the wild things life has to offer – in his own original and magical form. Start with a violence laced upbringing in the first page, and watch the author’s journey through unsafe waters and weary personalities until the end, where all of life comes together in a beautiful and rugged climax of experience, knowledge and wisdom that may only have been learned with an open mind. This Zine includes non-fiction personal horror stories, delightfully colored illustrations of the world around us, and many wise words that are geared to inspire and introduce the reader to an enjoyable, manageable life that he or she is in full control of. Step into the life of a homeless, queer youth who has an abundance of things to say!

Broken by Michael

Broken, $7
Click image for a sneak peek

Broken is written by a young man who details his aversion to the modern Republican Party, despite being a registered member. In his writings, the author covers everything from the United States federal budget to the partisan gridlock of the GOP that has strangled Congress. Further highlighting the plights of the Republican Party, the writer emphasizes the extremism that has taken a hold in American “conservatism” and what his personal opinion is of this. Despite this, his love for his country is vibrantly apparent and obvious in each page. Compassion, compromise and civility have long since been key factors in politics, and, unfortunately, those attributes have become lost in modern times. Read this or else.

I Never Thought By Ester

I Never Thought By Ester
Full Color: $7

“I Never Thought…” is a collection of poems by a young Ukrainian teenage girl who was sexually exploited in Seattle. The poems are a collage of past experiences (tragedy, fights, abuse, and hurt) versus the life she is living now (going to school, goals for future life, and family.) From poems that might shed a tear or two to poems that will make you laugh, this collection will move you.